Williamsburg series pet proof patio and sliding screen assembly

ABSTRACT

This invention pertains to patio and sliding screen assemblies. Specifically this invention fulfills a long-standing need to incorporate the use of heavy gauge wire mesh screening into a patio or sliding screen assembly. This incorporation does not rely on a center brace in either the horizontal or vertical planes. This invention does not require destructive manufacture by means of a welding or crimping of the screen to the master frame The Williamsburg Series Pet Proof Patio and Sliding Screen Assembly is capable of manufacture in all sizes standard or custom due to the utility of the components. A completed Williamsburg Series Pet Proof Patio Screen Assembly has a purpose of providing reasonable prevention of household pets or persons from destructively entering or exiting through the assembly by means of ripping, tearing, clawing, biting, or other similar methods.

[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 USC .sctn.119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/066,574, file date: May 30, 2001.

BACKGROUND

[0002] 1. Field of Invention

[0003] This invention relates to patio door screens and sliding door screens. Specifically, it relates to screen units that are operable and for the purposes of (1) a Ventilated opening as an entrance or exit, and (2) the reasonable prevention of pets or persons from accidentally or forcibly entering or exiting through said door screen units by means of ripping or tearing of the screen material. In addition to pre-assembled units, there shall also be availability of an adjustable expander as well as knocked-down unit lengths to allow for custom fitting to each individual door unit where an existing standard does not apply.

[0004] 2. Discussion of Prior Art

[0005] Patio and sliding door manufacturers commonly provide consumers with a screen unit as a part of their door or as an option at an additional cost. These screen units are also sometimes used as replacements among different manufacturers. These units have been the same for many years and have long been criticized by consumers for their lack of durability. The units regularly failed by means of people or pets accidentally or forcibly running into them causing the screen material to rip or tear. These units all employ the same standard of current knowledge for the fastening of a screen material, either aluminum wire mesh, fiberglass wire mesh, or spun polyester mesh, to the master frame. Such standard is as follows; a roller wheel is used to force a length of square or cylindrical rubber over the screen wire mesh and into a specific groove in the edge of the frame forcing the screen wire mesh to become encased between the framing and the rubber. Among these units are those specifically manufactured by or for the following; Andersen Window Corp, Peachtree Windows and Doors, The Home Depot, and Lowe's. Other units sold as replacements for the above include but are not limited to C. R. Laurence, Rite Screen, and Florida Screen.

[0006] There has been a long standing need for the design and invention of a patio and sliding door screen that would be able to (1) provide a ventilated entrance or exit and (2) offer a greater security and pet resistance by utilising the technologies of heavy gauge wire mesh screening. The Williamsburg Series Pet Proof Patio and Sliding Screen Assembly does in fact fulfill those requirements. The uniqueness of this design comes from the utility of the combinations of our extrusions and heavy gauge wire mesh screenings, specifically but not limited to Duramesh II™ screening available from GDC/Keystone of Hanover, Pa. We recognized that there were no products that were capable of successfully meeting those consumer demands and subsequently invented the extrusions and formulae for their combination and assembly as the Williamsburg Series Pet Proof Patio and Sliding Screen Assembly.

[0007] The two primary extrusions utilized to produce the finished Williamsburg Series Pet Proof Patio and Sliding Screen Assembly are both newly designed. The main frame (FIG. 1) consists of a profile 1.875 inches by 0.930 inches at its widest points, with the most prominent feature being a raised leg on one face. Said leg serves to significantly strengthen said main frame, much like an I-Beam, as well as provide the covering and sandwiching area of the formed Durascreen II™ heavy screening and Lock˜Bar extrusion. Said heavy screening may consist of a steel, stainless steel, aluminum or other material, coated or un-coated, with wire gauges up to and including 0.032 inches formed in a woven mesh specifically, but not limited to, Durascreen II™. The second extrusion, called a Lock˜Bar (FIG. 2), consists of a U shaped design with specific dimensions of 0.365 inches wide by 0.297 inches in height and thicknesses of 0.100 inches and 0.075 inches. Said dimensions allow the combination of the lock˜bar and a varying thickness of formed heavy screening to be fit into said leg of the frame extrusion.

[0008] While there are patents approved for the purposes of security screens (#D269,380 D307,479) and the ornamental design of screens and patio doors (#D377,985 D249,069 D389,247) they do not speak of, nor do they offer a way or means of a combined use in, or for, a patio or sliding screen. This invention addresses this long-standing need in the field whereby no other persons have been able to design such a patio screen door or assembly.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0009] It is an object of this invention to provide a sliding screen for use in patio door and sliding door units that will withstand repeated blows to the screen by persons or pets, either intentionally or accidentally, without allowing the screen mesh to easily rip or tear, and without assistance to the screen mesh by means of a center horizontal or vertical brace.

[0010] This invention employs improvements unto the design of patio door and sliding door screen units for the purpose of its utility. The first of these improvements is in the design of the extrusion to said frame with special regard to the raised leg. Said leg performs much like a structural I beam, in that it strengthens the overall extrusion in all planes. This extra rigidity was intended for the purpose of allowing the extrusion to be strong enough to withstand repeated blows to the formed heavy screen from family pets, animals, and people either inadvertently or purposefully.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0011] The steps necessary for the preferred embodiment begin with the cutting of the extrusion. Said extrusion (FIG. 1) is miter cut to the required width and height dimensions with a forty-five degree (45°) angle at each end of each length. This allows the length pieces to be assembled with the extruded aluminum corner gusset (FIG. 4) to form ninety-degree (90°) angles at each of the four (4) corners. The top and bottom are processed with a cutting wheel to provide an area for the adjustable roller wheels and one (1) side rail is processed for the handle and locking mechanism. NOTE: As this processing for the wheels and handle are of common standard knowledge and practice, their detail is not needed to understand our invention

[0012] The next step is the forming of the heavy screening (FIG. 5). Said screening is cut to a size to include the needed width and height of the visual opening between the top, bottom, and side rails that comprise the finished dimension required, plus five sixteenths of an inch ({fraction (5/16)}″) per each of the four (4) sides. This cut piece of heavy screening is then formed on all four (4) sides to an angle of ninety degrees (90°) at a depth of one quarter of an inch (¼″).

[0013] The cut pieces of extrusion are assembled so that the formed heavy screening is fitted into the matching area of said raised leg when all four (4) sides are fastened. The Lock Bar extrusion (FIG. 2) is now cut to length and inserted into said raised leg, oriented so that said formed heavy screen is now sandwiched between the Lock Bar and the raised leg of said extrusion with detail to the orientation of said lock bar (FIGS. 6 & 7).

[0014] Once said lock bar is in place, a plurality of fasteners comprised of, but not limited to, number forty-four (#44) ADA rivets and/or number eight by one half inch (#8×½″) stainless steel screws, are installed. Said fasteners are installed with a minimum quantity of, three (3) on each the top and bottom, and five (5) on each of the sides. (FIG. 8). (NOTE: We have found that this number and placement of fasteners offers optimal performance.)

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015]FIG. 1) Frame Extrusion—End view.

[0016]FIG. 2) Lock˜Bar Extrusion—End view.

[0017]FIG. 3) Corner Gusset Extrusion—End view.

[0018]FIG. 4) Assembled mitered corners of frame extrusion

[0019]FIG. 5) Formed heavy screen—end view.

[0020]FIG. 6) Formed heavy screen, main frame extrusion, and lock˜bar sandwich combination—assembly order view.

[0021]FIG. 7) Formed heavy screen, main frame extrusion, and lock˜bar sandwich, and fastener—completed view.

[0022]FIG. 8) Full view of assembled Williamsburg Series Pet Proof Patio and Sliding Screen Assembly and fastener locations. 

We claim that this invention shall:
 1. Provide unobstructed ventilation through the viewed opening area of the heavy gauge screen wire without use of center bracing in either the horizontal or vertical planes within the Williamsburg Series Pet Proof Patio and Sliding Screen Assembly.
 2. Utilize our new knowledge for the benefit of filling a long standing need by the ability to form extra heavy gauge screen wire mesh to fit a patio and sliding screen master frame assembly in a way that may be manufactured to fit all sizes standard and/or custom.
 3. Provide significantly greater durability to the prior knowledge and standard of patio and sliding screen assemblies without addition of a center brace in either the horizontal or vertical planes of the screen mesh opening.
 4. Fulfill a long-standing need to provide a finished patio or sliding screen assembly that incorporates previously unavailable types and styles of heavy gauge screen wire mesh.
 5. Provide a new means to fasten said various types of heavy gauge screen wire mesh to a patio or sliding screen assembly with implicit regard to claim #3.
 6. Provide a patio or sliding screen assembly that fulfills a long standing need to prevent household pets from destructively exiting through the assembly by means of ripping, tearing, clawing, biting, or other similar methods. 